Sponiebr

Yes... It's a gift. To my CraftServer Peeps! Now you KNOW from WHENCE the WINCES come FROM! In all seriousness I RARELY ever actually show my face online, well truth be told, I'm rarely seen by anyone at all. But about once a year I show up and then I'll be back into abstract weird mode. But thank you Trapp -Sponiebr Read my Sig... READ IT!

Oh... I SO NEED to go to sleep... But there is THIS THREAD! Not that I am any sort of measure by which male behavior COULD be judged... BUT, I am a guy and I'll share a couple of thoughts I have. Yes. I DO like a "feminine scent" over a "masculine scent" BUT I would prefer something citrusy over just about any masculine scent. I actually prefer unisex scents like Florida Water or bay rum. Not really the point though... Tastes in odor or pallet are very subjective choices. The truth of the matter is that men, generally speaking, are romantics. I know I am, and I highly suspect MOST other guys, (if they were being completely truthful about the matter), would agree with my generalization. Having said that, things that would appear as "romantic" tend to attract our attention... because (drum roll please!) (oh you are going to be SO SHOCKED by this) WAIT FOR IT... It attracts YOUR attention. And by YOUR I mean who ever the guy is normally trying to attract. I don't know about all guys, but I DO tend to gush when a person shows me a random act of kindness, mostly because a swift kick in the A$$ is about as kind as I normally get. I would have gushed too if someone had left a chick magnet on my desk with a kind wish for the Holidays... But I also would have been EXTREMELY grateful for a light source... (It's SOOOO DAMN DARK down here amongst the troglodytes.) Also... Not for nothing but the SOURCE of the gift plays a HUGE role in the quality of the return complements. E.g.: If a guy and given out those candles, the male portion of the group would have been less complementary to the source... (Now HERE'S an interesting twist) BUT if the guy had given out the candles mentioned his wife or GF or THEN you'd see the uptick from the male portion in complements. And ONE more twist to REALLY mess with your brain, ALL of the above is predicated on WESTERN CULTURAL VALUES... Yeah, yeah... I'm just the messenger but I am the messenger that EXPECTS to be shot... And with what TT mentioned, YES! (no that's not emphatic enough) We know what we like, and if we show up, we want to buy it and get out of wherever it was that we were there to get so we can get on with whatever it was we needed to get the whatever for... (Am I right guys?) HELL YEAH! But, I'm not exactly what humans would call either normal or sane... So I suspect I'm likely full of fresh organic-compost-starter-culture... Or maybe not... Sponiebr The Executor of Bad Ideas and Sundry Services.

I designed my own logo! I also make SOAP... (chortles wildly...) I might could help, PM me if you'd like some bad ideas. Sponiebr The Executor of Bad Ideas and Sundry Services. CHORTLES *WILDLY* (yes: it's a thing and I do that "yes")

No... It ain't just you... I frequently look at my "Trove" and think: 'Look at this stuff Isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think my collection's complete Wouldn't think I'm the guy... The guy who has smelly things?' Sorry 'bout that... I frequently think of bikini clad red headed cartoon characters... Wait, what are we talking about again? OH! FO'S! Yeah I got'm! You need some? Sponiebr The Executor of.... Uh... I dunno somthing or 'nuther...

I have no business here in Chandler's land, I'm just running amok, ignore me...

@Trappeur you doing/did the dye free thang?

So funny, and yet... SO TRUE. @zeldazelda Welcome! I'm a bubble head, as in I violate fats... (My, my doesn't that sound nefarious!) I make soap (shrugs) so I can't really comment too much about candle making. My general estimation would be that whichever one of the 2 containers is least expensive would be the choice option. While I would think the tins would be cheaper, if you master a glass container (e.g. no dancing flames, no sooting, no tunneling, etc...) ANYTHING else should be a piece of cake to make. Craftserver is the locus of all things candle. It's also a real fun and friendly place, ( they've tolerated me for heaven's sake... "WHY CAN'T I USE PAINT STORE PIGMENTS!!!!!!?" ) Slainte, Sponiebr The Executor of Bad Ideas and Sundry Services

You got it! Then there's the play on words of Folly with Fall-y or Autumn-esq. For 2 words it's really a GOLDMINE of double entendres...

Newton's Folly?

CS does that $.99 sample sale a couple of times a year... (ask me how I know...) MUST RESIST BUYING FO!!!! NOOO! NOOOOOOOOOO!! (I'm losing over here fast...) -Sponiebr

Hiya, We all KNOW I'm Mr. BAD IDEAS over here, but if you're putting already putting hair conditioner into your wash a smidge more of some EO (ETA: or FO's) ain't really gonna make a significant contribution the dingy-grays (which if we're being honest about it is really what we're afraid of). Someone else might have some more SANE input, but I'd just add up to max IFRA rinse out usage (or Category 9... Yeah, why not, soap usage rate'll be fine...) to the (I'm gonna be VERY SPECIFIC) total volume of the conditioner ONLY. <---- That BOLD stuff is IMPORTANT! Here let me do that again... NO MORE THAN THE IFRA CATEGORY 9 USAGE RATE TO THE CONDITIONER WEIGHT/VOLUME ONLY... E.g.: If your formulation calls for 100 ml of Conditioner and the IFRA usage rate in category 9 for your EO or FO is 3% You're going to add 3 ml to the mix. Don't think that because your final product is 1000 ml you can go adding in 30 ml of EO 'cause you ain't gonna be a happy camper... (I'm just SAY'n...) Oh, um, and again... THIS is just me (and I'm a guy), but I wouldn't be stick'n no cotton balls soaked, dropped, dripped, dunked, dabbed, or otherwise imbued or infused with essential or fragrance oils into intimate contact with MY naughty bits... But HEY! If that works for you... I certainly won't judge you. (I will want to hear ALL about it though) HTH, Sponiebr The Executor of Bad Ideas and Sundry Services

Well, Kiddos It's time again for another RANT from Sponie... (children screaming) YAY!!! WARNING! I'm FIDDNA GO OFF on some "common BIDNES practices"! If that's gonna upset you, skip ahead and look for this guy----> He'll be guarding the end of the rant... So the topic I have selected for today's diatribe is "Automatic Shipping Calculations" or "How to Lose a Customer In the Time it Takes to Open a Drop Menu". So here's an idea if any of our online suppliers are reading... (GOOD GAWD WHAT CAN IT HURT to try?) PLEASE guys... PLEASE try and figure out what the cheapest rate for your customers would be. OR Even BETTER... Put a drop down list of the usual suspects for shipping: e.g.: USPS (ALWAYS put USPS on the list please... NO! No excuses! PUT THEM ON THE LIST!) UPS FEDEX DHL PONY EXPRESS I can't tell you how many dozens of orders I have just simply never placed with a company because the shipping for a 4 ounce item was $11.95 USPS Priority mail when a frigging $3.20 large envelope could have been charged for First Class... SOME customers can't or WON'T "just give you a call"... In my case, placing phone calls during normal business hours means I get less sleep, and frankly I'd rather pay less, but wait a week longer, and place an order NOW with China than have to forgo yet another 45 minutes of sleep from my already scant tween-ish weekly hours of sleep just to CALL someone to ask them to place an ORDER for me because USPS first class shipping wasn't available for a 4 ounce non liquid, perishable, or fragile PACKAGE OF SHRINK WRAP BANDS to a PO BOX! (Worse yet would be the endless email swap about shipping options...) (MUTHA FLUFFER that PISSES ME OFF!!!!) (HUFF-PUFF-FUME-RAGE) Not all of the customers will opt for your company's choice of shippers but most, if not ALL of your customers WILL know what carriers work best for them in their particular situation... And for you suppliers out there that carry and ship fragrance oils or hazmat, might I make a suggestion to CLEARLY mark with some sort of (BOLD ITALIC ALL CAPITAL LETTERED UNDERLINED WARNING mentioning how this PARTICULAR item can't be shipped via USPS, or at least SOME explanation of WHY YOU HAVE to charge 1/3 of a person's eternal soul in order for them obtain the bottle of "unobtainium" from your company?) Finally suppliers I might STRONGLY SUGGEST that YOU NEVER offer in word or letter the popular glib patent answer of "weeeeeeeeell, SO many of our products have to be shipped via ground that we just don't offer USPS as an option..." Don't be the poor unfortunate soul that makes that comment... Oh gentle readers, the above rant is really only applicable to a very small group of MAJOR online suppliers, (THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE). That would lure you into believing some tripe about a "sale" in which they turn around and violate your soul to death over shipping sticker shock AND then have the chutzpah to go for your wallet with LIMITED payment options. I have absolutely no problem with anyone else doing what they gotta do for their shipping options, because frankly EVERYONE else is our future source of suppliers. Rant over... Well, I hope that clarifies at least one point of view regarding some of this shipping confusion... Hope all y'all have a blessed Thanksgiving Day! Sponiebr The "HOW *******K**** MUCH DID YOU SAY FOR SHIPPING!?*CLICK*" executor of Bad Ideas and all that jazz...

Y'know @GailC I was just thinking about this general issue with our online suppliers. I think I'll start a rant on this...

@coffeebeanI guess one question I have is what are you putting it in? I do like the CS bayberry. BUT! Save on Scents has SEVERAL Bay Rum scents that I like WAY WAY mo-betta. CS's bayberry is pretty much spot on... I guess you could blend it (if you're doing candles) with a little CS Christmas Hearth... That would be DIVINE. Here, take this: $0.01 Oh and this: $0.01 Now you have my 2 scents. -Sponiebr

What SHE said! ^^^ That one... (Yeah, I know... It's Trapp, still, she's right! )

Moonworks had a Chocolate Chip Fudge Brownie that will just OWN a chocoholic's SOUL. Not too much nutty scent in there, but it will sure drive you nuts! Sponiebr

DUCK *FARTS* + (and not even I could make this up) FRUITY... My dear, you have obviously NEVER smelled a duck fart! Nuff'n fruity 'bout'm. Nice thought though! (Chortles... Duck farts! Oh, Mylanta what a way to start this week! I needed that. Thank you ) Sponiebr I *might* have been usurped from my throne of bad ideas... Dunno... Jury's at lunch.

It just NEVER FAILS! I just CAN'T do it! WHY!!!!? I'm SMART... I'm WELL READ... But I just CAN'T READ Cracklin Birch Without FIRST reading Cackling Bitch... <---- 100% failure rate right there! (Best DAMN name I've EVER SEEN!) Oh and BTW: beautiful soap -Sponiebr The Executor of Bad Ideas and Sundry Services.

Yep! It's telepathy alright! Tele: from the Greek combining form of tele-"far off, afar, at or to a distance," related to teleos (genitive telos) "end, goal, result,consummation, perfection," literally "completion of a cycle," and pathy: from the Greek word pathos a quality that arouses pity or sorrow," 1660s, from Greek pathos "suffering, feeling,emotion, calamity," literally "what befalls one," related to paskhein "to suffer," andpenthos "grief, sorrow;" I'm that way out there dude that gives ya a belly ache... Robin: "HOLY LUNATICS! That guy's NUTZ Batman!" Batman:"No Boy Wonder. That's just Sponie."

@Trappeur Hi Trapp! Did ya MISS me? How about: "Jar full'o bean wax wid'a strang innit whut ya set fahr to... It's purdy an'it smahels good!" Or soy candle... That works too. I have to agree with Bird, ain't nothing natural about a soy bean these days. Sponiebr THE Executor of BAD Ideas and Sundry Services

Neat! Hey whatever works. 3 oz should be enough. I use anywhere from 32-48 ml of FO per batch and 3oz falls within that range. I have a pound of both the Inlet Lakegrass and the Tonic.

OMG YAAAAAASSSS!!!!! Wow. It would um, HELP if I had read the thread... No matter! I'm STILL excited, just a more different kinda excited. Could you do like 4 oz shots? I DO want to try all the OTHER'ns I didn't order last time, but... I'm just so DARN TIMID! TT: Just a heads up, USPS 1st Class maximum weight is 13 oz. after that it goes to Priority. (usually) sponie(yeah-you-know-what-I'm-in-charge-of-)br

Ah... "the Bee's secret dagger..." That one is a classic TT!

PKO huh. Personally, I have really good luck with just regular palm oil and CO, and it's definitely cheap enough. I wasn't aware that people with nut allergies could use PKO, I kinda thought it was nut based oil...

Oh that Mistletoe and the Merry Mistletoe from Candle Science are LOVELY scents! They're nice in soap too... I personally think the Holly Berry from CS has a "warmer" scent. I'm not sure that is the correct term but it almost has a honey like cast to the scent that just "feels" warm and inviting. Um... one MIGHT even mix Mistletoe and Holly Berry to create a really interesting scent that highlights the lovely qualities of BOTH scents... I'm just say'n... THAT combo MIGHT be REALLY AWESOME IF one were to mix at 60% Holly Berry and 40% Mistletoe... Oh... but these are candles... Skip it and get the Christmas Hearth from CS and experience TRUE nirvana. (DAMN do I wish CS made Christmas Hearth in a soap safe scent) Sponiebr: Executor of Bad Ideas, Sundry Services, and Professional Whipping Boy.